


Legs?!

by thememeinator



Category: Legacy Idol Project
Genre: Beach Day, DiaDem mermaid royalty??? Thinking emoji, I’m so sorry if this is cringe this is the result of a long car ride and second single hype LMAO, is this the inaugural ao3 legacy fic???, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:15:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25369717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thememeinator/pseuds/thememeinator
Summary: The Legacy girls meet up for a beach day, only to get far more than they bargained for.
Kudos: 2





	Legs?!

**Author's Note:**

> Stream Legacy’s second single here: https://youtu.be/95tkJk2glGw. You can also stream it on most music streaming platforms as well! :D

  
It’s hot. The two words sear themselves into Akira’s mind as she leans back onto the towel she’s sprawled across the sand. It’s easier said than done as she huddles beneath the shade of the neighboring umbrella; even with the early afternoon sunlight, she finds herself careening into the back corner of the towel. There’s not a cloud in the sky—a beautiful but blistering omen for the rest of the day.

Momo wandered off somewhere when they first arrived, chirping something about searching the shoreline for shells and sea glass. Akira doesn’t mind—the pair had only brought an umbrella, a few towels, and a cooler to share between the two of them, and she doesn’t quite trust her best friend to choose the perfect spot like Akira herself can. Enough sand to dig your feet into, but not enough to disturb any of the creatures there (or the rave crabs, as Momo so affectionately called them). Close enough to the water to go for a swim, but not so close that their meager beach spread could be swept away by the tide. Setting up camp is something of an art—an art that Akira has perfected over the past few summers, on the beach trips that she’s treasured with her beloved friend.

This is the first group beach trip she’s ever been on. It was Momo’s idea, naturally—a day for their whole group of friends to hang out on the beach, relaxing in the summer rays. They’d all agreed to arrive separately: Sumiko and Tamiko would likely grab a ride with Sumiko’s dad, while Naomi and Mai would take the local bus down to the pier (more opportunities for Tik Tok videos, as Mai explained). Yui and Hibiki shared a flat near the beach, which took a bit of the stress out of the picture.

Akira smiles at the thought—there’s so many of them now, brought together by a single goal, a single idea that’s grown into something far greater than she could’ve ever imagined.

She reaches over to the bag she brought along, pulling a well-loved sketchbook out of the bag. Flipping to a new page, she works beneath the shade of the umbrella, sketching a quick picture of the waves foaming along the shore. Minutes slip away from her as she doodles, only to be interrupted by a sturdy hand on her shoulder.

Akira lets out a yelp, hugging the sketchbook to her chest on reflex. A quick turn of her head reveals Izumi standing behind her, her hand now brandished into a wave.

“Whoops! Didn’t meant to scare you,” she laughs, kneeling down the towel. Akira laughs nervously, shifting to face her friend while sliding the sketchbook behind her back.

“I totally zoned out,” she confesses. “Are the rest of the girls here? Momo and I got here a little while ago.” She wouldn’t be surprised if Izumi had everything down in a spreadsheet, and she cranes her neck to look behind her friend. Satomi and Ami are trailing behind a ways down the beach, and a distinctive red-headed photographer snaps pictures along the edge of the boardwalk. Akira mentally counts in her head, doing a round of mental attendance.

“Where’s Nori?” she asks, head tilting in curiosity. Izumi jumps to her feet, laughing.

“Nori’s been here the whole time,” she explains. “I think she’s been practicing ukulele music over by the sand dunes. Momo was with her a few minutes ago.”

Akira stifles a chuckle with her fingers. Of course she is.

“Are the others here?” she asks. “Or are you guys the first ones?”

“Sumiko and Tamiko just pulled in,” Izumi replies. “It turns out that Sumiko’s dad owns a condo or something about a block away, so you can drop your things off there if you want! A bus was just leaving the stop, so I’m assuming Mai and Naomi are here too, though I’m not totally certain.”

Akira stuffs her sketchbook into the bag before rising to her feet as well, offering a wave to Satomi and Ami. They return the gesture, and Akira feels her heart grow warm.

Satomi and Ami pull out their blanket and drape it a foot or so away from Akira’s. Unlike Akira’s pink umbrella, Satomi’s is a blushing purple, casting a larger shadow across all of their things. Ami pulls a book out of her bag, blushing as she tries to hide it behind her larger bag. Less than 2 minutes later, Kimiko skids to a halt along the edge of the blanket, bangs flying every which way as she settles along the bottom corner of the woven fabric. Ami listens as Kimiko begins to chatter about the various pictures she’s taken near the edge of the beach cliffs, holding her camera out for everyone to see.

Akira’s curiosity wins out, and she takes a peek while Kimiko skims through the pictures. They’re beautiful, for sure—her friend has always had a sharp eye for photography, and the beach leaves all but countless photo opportunities. A certain picture catches Akira’s eye, if only for a split second. Beneath the waves, next to crumbling boulders that jetty out in the ocean, is a flash of teal. A trick of the light, maybe? Kimiko switches to the next picture before Akira can get a closer look.

Her thoughts scatter like a flock of seagulls as Momo and Nori rejoin the group, both girls settling along the edge of Satomi’s blanket. Momo snuggles between Satomi and Ami, which Kimiko sees as a perfect photo op. A quick snap with her Polaroid camera and the deed is done, permanently etched in film for years to come.

Sumiko and Tamiko arrive next, with Mai and Naomi trailing behind. Sumiko drapes a large blanket over the sand, a tapestry in its own right with green and brown tea leaf designs woven into the surface. Tamiko stabs the umbrella into the sand behind them with very little effort, before settling into the shade next to her childhood friend. Sumiko pulls a thermos out of her bag, content to pour herself a cup of tea.

Akira does another headcount. They total 11, with their numbers growing to 13 as Hibiki and Yui arrive on the scene. Yui explains that she lost track of time watering the succulents back at her apartment while Hibiki combined nearly every fruit juice in their refrigerator into a martini glass. Hibiki hides a guilty smile as seats herself next to Mai and Naomi, taking a sip through her drink’s swirly straw.

“It looks like we’re all here!” Momo announces, leaping to her feet. “I officially declare that our first beach trip a success!” The other girls smile, with Hibiki lifting her glass in a playful toast. Leave it to Momo to state the obvious, Akira thinks, though she figures it’s only fair. She knows Momo doesn’t get off her farm super often, and the beach has become a rare but treasured retreat.

Akira isn’t quite sure what happens next. She doesn’t recall how Izumi produces a soccer ball out of thin air, or how Akira herself gets roped into being referee for the pick-up game that ensues. The real error, she figures, was in making Izumi and Mai serving as the impromptu team captains. Akira can’t decide what’s more exhausting—Izumi scoring goal after relentless goal, or Mai calling a time-out every five minutes in favor of a Tik Tok break. She declares Izumi’s team the winner after witnessing an exhausting 10 goals in a row, and decides to settle on her towel for a well-earned nap.

It’s soothing, listening to the other girls’ chatter in the background. Yui and Hibiki rehash an afternoon of baking gone wrong, culminating in a minor house fire saved by one of Yui’s (many) watering cans lying around their flat. Sumiko laughs into her tea while Tamiko lays a sleepy head on her friend’s lap. Akira smiles, her heart growing warm as she watches Sumiko comb her finger’s through Tamiko’s hair—loose, undone, and splayed all over her lap.

Satomi gushes about the details of her latest piano recital to an eager Naomi, while Ami pages through the romance novel she brought along. Nori and Mai seem lost in their own personal worlds, however different—Nori seems all too content to weave monstera leaves together, while Mai scrolls through the latest comments on her soccer game Tik Tok.

Akira closes her eyes, content to be lulled to sleep by the salty sea breeze.

* * *

The sea cliffs are a good distance away from the beach, sheltered from view by a wall of crumbling stone. Decades of relentless waves leave these works of stone as a ghost of the former glory. They do a good enough job separating the rapids from the foamy breakers that tourists love to splash around in—at least, that’s how it’s always been.

A young woman perches herself along the edge of the sea-eroded stone, teal hair braided and twisted into pigtails that fall along her shoulders. This is a familiar spot for her: close enough to the beach where she can spy, yet far enough away for her to go unnoticed. It’s a welcome break from the mediocrity that awaits her under the waves, away from Iku—

“Maaya!!” The voice is sharp, yet controlled, and the girl tenses at the sound. Speak of the she-devil, and she will appear.

“Ah, Ikumi,” Maaya smirks, offering a wave. “You found me.”

“I _found_ you?” The woman sputters tossing a pale pink braid over her shoulder. “Are you out of your _mind_? What if one of them had spotted you?” She pulls Maaya behind the rocks, gesturing wildly to the stretch of beach that hovers a few yards away.

“What, you’re worried someone saw this?” Maaya laughs, pulling a tail out of the water. It’s beautiful, iridescent—teal scales layer over the base, capturing every color of the rainbow before melting into a cerulean that’s as placid as the sea around them. Ikumi’s eyes widen for a brief moment before she all but tackles the other girl, forcing her tail beneath the waves.

“You are unbelievable,” Ikumi musters through gritted teeth. “We’re going back. _Now_.”

“No way~!” Maaya laughs, sending a wave of water in the other girl’s direction with her tail. “It’s so sunny today! The humans are bound to be extra interesting.” She deigns to mention the redhead who was standing at the ocean’s edge with some kind of metal contraption. She can already see the vein beginning to form in the other girl’s forehead, and figures she shouldn’t test Ikumi’s limits (for now).

“Don’t make me drag you,” Ikumi threatens, arms crossed over her chest. The twin ends of a pink, tapered tail peek above the surface of the water, and Maaya relents with a pout.

“Can’t I use magic?” she whines, hand reaching for the shell necklace around her neck on instinct. “Just this once?”

“Absolutely not,” Ikumi answers, eyes narrowing. “Now, as I’ve already said, we’re leaving.” Maaya swims in front of the other girl, hands clasped.

“I just want to spend one day up there,” Maaya says. “Just one day with legs. One day with all the crazy contraptions and thing-a-ma-bobs that all the humans get to play with on the beach. It’ll only be a little bit of magic!”

“You have no idea how much magic is required for something like that.” Ikumi shakes her head, answer resolute. “Your essence as a child of the sea is powerful—you can’t just toss it aside like garbage. There has to be an exchange. Not just one person taking your place, but multiple. The exposure it would mean for our kind, the unpredictable factors when you’re on shore...” Ikumi’s arms fall to her sides as she looks Maaya in the eyes. “Absolutely not.”

“But Hatsuki goes to the human world all the time!” Maaya whines, fists splashing the surface of the water indignantly. “Why can’t I just go with her?”

“Because Hatsuki isn’t a _child_ ,” Ikumi answers, voice rigid. “Now, come on. We’re leaving.”

Maaya pouts as she dives beneath the surf, following Ikumi’s coral-pink tail to unknown depths.

* * *

Akira blinks awake, eyes locked with Momo’s as she wakes up. A yelp escapes her lips as she sits up, forehead crashing into her friend’s. Momo falls backward on the towel, mumbling in pain as she rubs her forehead.

“S-sorry,” Akira says quickly, hurrying over to her friend. “Why were you so close? You could’ve just called me...” It’s only then when she takes a look around to see that the sun has begun to set, dripping gold into the distant azure of the horizon. “...how long was I asleep, anyway? Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?”

“You looked so sleepy!” Momo chirps. “The other girls haven’t been doing all that much, anyway. Izumi, Nori, and I went hunting for some sea anemones in the tidal pools, but everyone else has just been hanging out here. Kimiko, Mai, and Naomi have been taking Polaroid selfies all afternoon.” She points to the three girls, who are still grouped together along the side of Sumiko’s blanket, laughing.

Akira rubs her eyes, squinting at the water’s edge. The tide has come in significantly since set up camp this morning, but all their things are still a safe distance away. Some of the girls have already moved to the water’s edge, jumping and shrieking as each new wave splashes against them. Momo stands up, extending a hand to her friend.

“Come on, let’s join them!”

Akira smiles as she takes Momo’s hand, allowing herself to be led into the cold current.

Momo is quick to splash into the deeper water, doggy paddling with Kimiko and Izumi into the deeper water. Some of the other girls are more content to take their time, like Akira—she can see Hibiki, Satomi, Yui, and Ami slowly wading waist-deep into the surf, while Nori stands a few feet away, taking in the sound of the ocean. Sumiko clings to Tamiko, hiding behind her friend’s ponytail as a fresh wave of briny mist skims forward on the newest wave. Tamiko doesn’t seem to mind playing bodyguard, just as Mai doesn’t seem to mind giving Naomi a piggyback ride into the sea.

Akira splashes forward, smiling through the wave of saltwater that soon pitches forward, drenching her pigtails flat against her head. She spits out the extra water before pushing her way forward through the water, soon reaching her best friend’s side.

None of the girls sense the pair of eyes glued to them far beneath the ocean’s surface.

Maaya hovers in place, a safe distance from the tourists who’ve finally decided to go swimming. It took her longer than she would’ve liked to escape Ikumi’s watchful eye. Thankfully, luck (or perhaps fate) seemed to be on her side, as Hatsuki returned from one of her trips on land. Ikumi peppered the other girl with questions—or at least, enough questions where it was easy for Maaya to slip away undetected.

She watches the girls from afar, envy prickling through the currents as her tail swishes back and forth. A soundless wish echoes through her thoughts once more, and her hand reaches to the shell around her neck. An idea bubbles in her mind—perhaps not the best plan, but a plan nonetheless.

Perhaps just one isn’t enough, but 13 girls should do the trick.

Maaya grips the shell around her neck, fingers digging into a familiar warmth. Fragments of different words flow through her mind, whispers of chants she’s heard Hatsuki utter countless times before.

She doesn’t feel any different at first. Confusion swirls with panic before she feels a burning sensation along the tip of her fin. Maaya’s never seen or felt fire before, yet in this moment, she feels like she’s been touched by flame, with pure agony melting through each and every scale. She clamps her hands over mouth to suppress a scream, though her soundless voice only explodes into bubbles beneath the sea.

Wait... is that water going into her lungs?

Maaya chokes on the seawater, using her legs (legs?!) to propel her to the surface. Thankfully, she’s still a safe distance away from the other girls as her head bobs above the water, pigtails suddenly waterlogged as they droop along the surface of the ocean. The shore is still a good distance away, but she’s confident in the ability of her legs (legs!!) as she slowly kicks and paddles her way to shore. She offers the other girls a glance—the unknowing recipients of this thalassic trade-off—before doing her best to swim to shore.

Akira doesn’t notice the swimmer in the distance. She does, however, notice when her feet are no longer touching the sand. She reaches forward to grab Momo, only to find her friend completely missing from the water. Another wave tumbles forward, pulling Akira beneath the waves with it. Panic fills her lungs, along with a gulp of water—yet when she expects to choke, bubbles form and drift away in the ocean current.

_Is she... breathing underwater?!_

This has to a dream. She closes her eyes, as though a few seconds of heartfelt thought will erase the sky blue scales trailing up her... fin?! She opens her eyes to no avail, though Momo finally bursts into view.

Both girls pop their heads above the water, around the same time as their other friends.

Something between panic and excitement drifts along the surface of the water; in their frenzied distraction, none of the girls notice the stranger huddling behind their belongings further down the beach.

Maaya squats (she’s never been able to do that before!) behind a tote bag, picking a long piece of fabric out of the bag with nimble fingers. She tilts her head, considering the material before tossing it over her head. It’s something between a dress and a robe—things that Maaya has only dreamed about, but never believed she’d actually see. She takes a step back, now fully covered, squinting at the group of girls drifting further and further off to sea. The appearance of her own legs only confirms the inevitable, and she spins on one heel to face the boardwalk.

Her hand drifts to the necklace resting on her chest, still warm and glowing from the spell she’s cast. A slight sliver traces down her spine as she considers what Ikumi will do, until she looks back down at her feet. A smile spreads across her face, and she runs (runs?!) to the boardwalk staircase with new vigor.

She looks back at the ocean, closing her eyes as a blissful, salty breeze drifts past.

_Summer is in the air._

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is dedicated to my lovely friend Freya, who jokingly dared me to write this fic “for the legs.” One long car ride later (give or take), and this is the end result!
> 
> I’m super sorry if any of this seems cringey or weird;; I love the Legacyverse that the staff and vocalists have worked so hard to create, and I just wanted to give a little something back (while also burning through a few hours of a road trip). Hope you enjoy, and be sure to stream “Go with the Flow”!


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